


A Broken Promise

by Katrina_Leann



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cancer, F/M, Heavy Angst, Seriously guys, Suffering, no happy ending, this is dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 18:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katrina_Leann/pseuds/Katrina_Leann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt; </p>
<p>Imagine Person A having to mercy kill Person B. Bonus points if they couldn't bring themselves to do it. (Like... This prompt could just serve as a warning, guys. ANGST ahead.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Broken Promise

It was horribly unfair of him to ask that of her. And while, yes, if the situations had been reversed and she asked him to do something like that for her, he'd refuse. Even if it was what she wanted. He _couldn't_. 

But that wasn't had it had happened, and for that little detail, Jason Gold was glad. Beyond glad actually...even if the end result was years of near unbearable pain. 

Now still he could feel the pressure of her fingers digging into his arms, her eyes wide and filled with tears as Dr. Whale told them the bad news. Words were meaningless. Jason had figured this out through the course of his life, trapped on this hellhole. His mother could say that she loved him, but she still left. No warning, no goodbye...just gone. Weeks after he'd stopped crying over the fact that she'd left, he got a postcard. 

It was addressed to him, from somewhere in the states...California, maybe? Jason had merely looked at the handwriting and thrown it away. Nothing that she had to say mattered to him. Not anymore. Words were meaningless.

His father could say that he was sorry every time he came home, drunk off his mind and screaming about how worthless Jason was and how he was ashamed to have to call him his son. Sure, he looked sorry the next morning, but he was still back out - drinking and gambling - the next day. Words were meaningless, useless things. A waste of time and breath. 

Or so he thought. 

That had been around the time he'd met Belle French. Beautiful, smart, courageous, Belle French. 

Jason had put up so many walls that he'd lost count of them. He'd hardened his heart and stomped on his battered emotions so that he'd never have to feel anything again. She'd torn them down and breathed life back into him with just the scent of vanilla and a sparkle in her unbelievably blue eyes. He was gone after that. 

The very beginning of their relationship was a blur to him. Of course he remembered little things like the dress she wore on their first date and the dreamy look in her eyes after their first kiss...the rest was a blur of love and happiness. 

And because life had a real funny way of making sure that he was thoroughly screwed over, that's when everything went wrong. 

Belle was a wee little thing. Fierce as hell and sharp as a knife, but little. Not that you could tell that by the way she'd clung to his arm though. Jason didn't think that a crowbar could've pried her hand off his arm then. He'd long since tuned out Whale's voice, focusing instead of the beauty sitting next to him. 

Little words and phrases like _excruciating pain, not common,_ and _so sorry,_ occasionally broke through his foggy, Belle-focused mind. But it wasn't until he heard Belle's barely muffled sob that Jason backtracked their conversation and swallowed harshly. Incurable, is what Whale had said. 

The car ride home after that doctors appointment (the first of many), was quiet. Belle had kept her eyes on the road and it wasn't until they'd made it home and into their bed that Belle broke down in his arms. Jason had held her as tightly as he could, shushing her with soft kisses and little cooing sounds. He hadn't said it would be alright, nor did he promise that they'd find a way to stop it. 

Cancer was cancer, no amount of empty promises could change that. 

It was somewhere around the twelfth - maybe thirteenth? - appointment that he'd brought it up. Walking was becoming a challenge, and Jason couldn't even remember the last time he'd made it through an entire day without a nap. He was getting worse. 

Belle - being the remarkable but stubborn woman that she was - had told him to shut up and started stabbing her green beans onto her fork. 

It wasn't until the day that he'd passed out in the shower and woken up in the hospital that he'd gotten her to agree. She'd promised to kill him. And while it sounded awful, Jason could't handle it anymore. The unending pain and suffering, he couldn't even go home anymore! He lived in a hospital, surrounded by nurses and doctors and death. 

He was done. 

So he waited, keeping his eyes closed to save his strength until she got here. It would be so easy, Jason had promised her. Just pull the plug. Yes, I know, Belle. I know and I'm so sorry, but who else is there? Please, love, for me... 

She was here. 

_I'm so sorry, Belle. I wish there was another way. I'm so sorry..._

"Hey, Jase...how're you feeling?" A little kiss to his forehead. 

He couldn't talk anymore, not for a while actually. But sweet, loving person that she was, she still asked. her fingers threaded through his and Jason wanted to cry. If she just hadn't held his hand then he wouldn't have been able to do the signal. 

_"Well how will I know?" Belle cried, her tears soaking through his shirt and burning his skin._

_"I'll let you know, I promise..." Jason had said._

"The doctors say that you might be able to hear me... Can you?" 

With tremendous effort, Jason opened his eyes. Belle let out a startled yelp, the sound ringing through him. 

"Jase?" She breathed quietly, her tears splashing against his cheek. She knew, brilliant woman that she was. She knew. 

"Jase," she tried again, his time softer and laced with desperation. 

_I'm sorry, Belle. I'm so sorry...make it stop...make it stop..._

He squeezed her hand twice, gentle little squeezes. Completely opposite from the way she'd squeezed his arm on the day this nightmare began. She understood though, of course she did. Her lips trembled and she shook her head weakly in protest, breath quickening. 

"I-I can't Jase, please. I know I promised, but please...please..." 

She hunched over her and sobbed quietly, her face pressed against the crook of his neck. It hurt - so, _so_ much - but Jason didn't care. If this was to be the last thing he saw, then so be it. There wasn't a more beautiful face in all of the worlds...tears and all. 

She stood up straight, her eyes flicking over to the plug. 

_Please, Belle..._

"Jase..." she collapsed back into her chair, openly sobbing. "I can't! I'm so sorry, my love. I _can't_." 

_Please..._

"Forgive me," she begged softly, her head leaning on his arm. Did he? Could he? 

The realization that this what it washed over him like a bucket of ice water. Belle wasn't doing it. He was going to spend the rest of his life stuck in this field of pain and torment, no relief. He was stuck. 

"I'm sorry!" Belle wailed, her entire body shaking. As her sobs grew louder Dr. Whale burst through the door and into his room. 

"Mrs. Gold!" he rushed over to Belle and wrapped an arm around her, helping her stand. Jason's eyes fluttered closed again, no longer strong enough to hold them open. 

_You promised._

"Mrs. Gold, please allow me to take you into the break room. When's the last time you ate?" A shuffling pair of feet. One walking and one stumbling behind. 

_You. Promised._

"I'm sorry Jase..." The sound of a door shutting. 

_I'll never forgive you..._

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't hate me. In my defense, I gave lots of warnings. 
> 
> *passes around tissues*


End file.
